What's going to happen to boaters over the July 4th holiday?
BoatUS knows
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[July 03, 2012]
ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- For recreational boaters,
being on the water for the Fourth of July holiday is akin to driving
to grandma's house for Thanksgiving. Waterways are jammed, launch
ramps are mayhem, and getting home after the fireworks end can feel
like a California freeway at rush hour -- except there are no
breakdown lanes. The folks at Boat Owners Association of The United
States, or BoatUS, have seen it all before, and have these three
tips on how to overcome the challenges of boating's busiest day of
the year:
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Take care of the little things now: With July 4 occurring at
midweek this year, more boaters are expected to take the week off.
This likely means more use -- and wear and tear on the boat. Some
boats may have been recently launched and simply not up to snuff
yet. Regardless, now is the time to address the things that still
need fixing -- with extra attention paid to the electrical system
(battery, charging system, navigation lights) and the fuel system
(fuel lines, fresh gas). With boat trailers, check tires for wear,
bearings for grease and ensure all lights work.
The Christmas
tree light effect: Each year after the fireworks shows end and
boaters head home, the telephone switchboard at the towing service
dispatch center operated 24/7 by BoatUS lights up like a Christmas
tree with hundreds of simultaneous requests for on-the-water
assistance from across the country. What's the best way to prevent
from having to call for towing services? Don't run down the battery
playing music all day, and be careful to avoid anchor line
entanglements. On the way home, post extra lookouts, don't take
shortcuts, and be patient at the launch ramp. Powerboats need to
watch their wakes. With nightfall, the chance of accidents
increases, so it's a good idea to have everyone in life jackets. If
you're concerned about getting on-the-water or roadside assistance
for a broken-down boat trailer or tow vehicle, check out
http://www.boatus.com/towing/.
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The extra guest factor: For the holiday, many boating guests
are likely to be kids, but some vessels won't have the right-sized
life jacket aboard. Boaters can borrow a kid's life jacket at no
cost at over 500 locations by going to
http://www.boatus.com/foundation/|
LJLP/usamapB.asp. Also, smaller boats are prone to overloading,
leaving just a precious few inches of freeboard to prevent wakes and
waves from coming aboard. Having extra guests also likely means a
good party -- it is America's birthday, after all, so celebrate.
Just be sure alcohol doesn't become a safety issue. Waiting to drink
until you safely get back home ensures everyone will have a good
time.
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BoatUS, the Boat Owners Association of the United States, is the
nation's leading advocate for recreational boaters, providing over
half a million members with government representation, programs and
money-saving services. For membership information, visit
http://www.boatus.com/ or call
800-395-2628.
[Text from file received from
BoatUS]
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